Posted on 11/26/2004 12:39:42 PM PST by quidnunc
Barry Rubin and Judy Colp Rubin
Published by
The Global Research in International Affairs (GLORIA) Center
Herzliya, Israel 2004
Copyright © 2004 The GLORIA Center
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Preface – ii
1. Judith Colp Rubin, Degenerates, Bores and Materialists – 1
2. Mark Falcoff, Latin America: The Rise and Fall of Yankee Go Home – 15
3. Stefani Hoffman, No Love From Russia – 22
4. Fiamma Nirenstein, Anti-Americanism Italian Style – 42
5. Bret Stephens, United and Divided Against America – 51
6. Yossi Klein Halevi, Twin Hatreds: Anti-Americanism and Anti-Semitism – 63
7. Josh Pollack, Total Opposites: Saudi Arabia and America – 68
8. Hillel Frisch, The Palestinian Media and Anti-Americanism: A Case Study – 84
9. Cameron Brown, Middle East Anti-Americanism: September 11 and Beyond – 95
10. Reuven Paz, The Islamist Perspective – 130
11. Patrick Clawson, Big Satan No More: Iranians’ View of America – 141
12. Adel Darwish, Arab Media: Purveying Anti-Americanism – 153
13. Abdel Mahdi Abdallah, Anti-Americanism in the Arab World: A Socio-Political Perspective – 163
14. Robert Lieber, Why Do They Hate Us and Why Do They Love Us – 178
15. Barry Rubin, The Usefulness of Anti-Americanism – 206
About the Contributors – 217
For many Americans, anti-Americanism was once a topic solely of interest to some diplomats and academics, a phenomenon thought to be confined to a few distant and radical countries. The United States was, its citizens believed, loved and admired throughout most of the world for her democratic values.
This seemed especially likely to be true in the aftermath of the half-century-long Cold War, which ended in 1990 with the collapse of the Soviet Union and its empire. The fall of the Berlin Wall, the apparent gratitude of those liberated from Communism, and the spread of democracy to Eastern Europe seemed the utmost vindication of the principles for which Americans had fought for so long.
At first, the events of September 11, 2001, when over 3000 people were killed in direct terrorist attacks on New York and Washington, seemed likely to further a pro-American trend. Of course, it was horrifying to perceive the intense hatred of the United States that had inspired these actions. Yet surely the global revulsion to an essentially unprovoked assault of this nature was spreading a wave of pro-American sentiment almost everywhere.
Soon, however, it became clear that many of the reactions to this event were almost as disturbing as the attack itself. Although many in the world sympathized with America this response was often accompanied by reservations. Even worse, many others responded by suggesting that the United States somehow deserved it.
Such sentiments were not only expressed in the Arab or Muslim world but also by many influential individuals and public opinion polls in European countries which Americans considered to be allies. This anti-Americanism only increased as America sent troops to Afghanistan, to catch the perpetrators of the September 11 attacks and their protectors, and prepared for a war in Iraq that ultimately took place in 2003.
Understanding the roots and depths of such anti-Americanism suddenly became a top national priority, a task taken up by this book.
It should be crystal clear that anti-Americanism here is not defined as opposition or criticism to specific U.S. policies or actions. Such divergent views are understandable and at times quite justified. We define as anti-Americanism something much broader, more pernicious, and inaccurate, as including one or more of the following characteristics:
• An antagonism to the United States that is systemic, seeing that country as completely or inevitably evil.
• A view that greatly exaggerates America’s shortcomings.
• The deliberate misrepresentation of the nature or policies of the United States for political purposes.
• A misperception of American society, policies, or goals which falsely portrays them as ridiculous or malevolent.
• A hatred for the United States which leads to a desire to slander or injure it and its citizens.
Understanding that anti-Americanism is not a new phenomenon is the goal of the first part of this book. In “Degenerates, Bores and Materialists,” (Chapter One) Judith Colp Rubin describes how anti-Americanism began in Europe, even before the United States became a country, with a belief that the land of the New World was intrinsically inferior to that of Europe. After the United States won its freedom from England, antiAmericanism in nineteenth-century Europe focused on the lack of culture, inferiority of democracy and excessive materialism– criticisms that are still made today.
After Europe, the first anti-American region was Latin America. Here anti-Americanism was motivated by American interventionism. But as Mark Falcoff describes in “Latin America: The Rise and Fall of Yankee Go Home,” (Chapter Two) this was far from the only cause. Other factors included perceptions of the United States imported from elitist French culture, an exaggerated blame of all local problems on America, and a belief that its people and society were inferior to those of Latin America. In recent years, a resurgence of democracy in Latin America and growing links with the United States — including a large immigrant community there — has turned the region into one of the less anti-American portions of the globe.
Not so in Russia, as Stefani Hoffman writes in “No Love From Russia,” (Chapter Three). Despite the Cold War’s end and the absence of Communist propaganda both of these factors have left a bitter legacy. Hatred of America is now employed to justify Russian failures and to build a new national identity.
The enhanced U.S. role as the world’s only superpower has revived and expanded European anti-Americanism. This is demonstrated by Fiamma Nirenstein in “Anti-Americanism Italian Style,” (Chapter Four) as traditional Fascist, Communist, and Catholic influences have been reshaped by the forces of European unity and the anti-globalism movement. Bret Stephens describes in “United and Divided Against America,” (Chapter Five), how the gap between European and American has widened so much that Germany and France have become among the world’s top antiAmericanism exporting countries.
One aspect of anti-Americanism shared in both Europe and the Middle East is characterized by Yossi Klein Halevi in “Twin Hatreds: Anti-Americanism and Anti-Semitism” (Chapter Six). While these two “satans” are often directly linked, the antagonism is rooted in such themes as jealousy of their success, contempt toward them as inferior, suspicion at their providing alternatives to traditional ways, and many other features. The results are conspiracy theories which have been given a remarkable degree of credence that they are united in a drive for world conquest.
Europe notwithstanding, nowhere can anti-America compare in its virulence to the Middle East, especially following the end of the Cold War. One of those countries where it is at its strongest is Saudi Arabia, from where fifteen of the nineteen September 11 hijackers hailed. Josh Pollack in “Total Opposites: Saudi Arabia and America” (Chapter Seven), points to the vast divergences between the two societies as one key factor.
Similar forces are at work in the Palestinian Authority (PA), where anti-Americanism is promulgated by governmental institutions and the regime-controlled media, according to Hillel Frisch in “The Palestinian Media and Anti-Americanism: A Case Study” (Chapter Eight). This is especially ironic given the fact that the PA was a virtual creation of the United States, which provided its funding and offered it an independent state on advantageous terms.
Given the key roles of the September 11 attacks and the ensuing U.S. military operations in Afghanistan and Iraq, Cameron Brown — in “Middle East Anti-Americanism: September 11 and After” (Chapter Nine) — provides a detailed analysis of responses to these events. Newspapers grossly distorted U.S. policies and actions while promoting conspiracy theories blaming the United States for the terrorism of which it was the victim.
One of the main factors behind these developments was a new theory and strategy by radical Islamist groups, seeking jihad against America. The United States is viewed as an enemy of God and Islam which must be defeated in order to bring the global triumph of Muslims. Reuven Paz in “The Islamist Perspective” (Chapter Ten), shows how these forces view the United States and how promoting anti-Americanism is a centerpiece of their strategy.
In contrast, the world’s only country with a radical Islamist regime, Iran, has been undergoing a pro-American trend among its people, according to Patrick Clawson in “Big Satan No More: Iranians’ View of America,” (Chapter Eleven).
Changing opinions about the United States in the rest of the Middle East will be more difficult as the shape and forms of antiAmericanism in the Arabic language media is all-encompassing, as Adel Darwish writes in “Arab Media: Purveying Anti-Americanism,” (Chapter Twelve). Abdel Mahdi Abdallah in “Why They Hate U.S.: An Arab Perspective” (Chapter Thirteen), gives the Arab perception of disliking America based on U.S. political, economic and military support of Israel, air strikes and sanctions against some Arab countries, occupation of Iraq, support for undemocratic Arab regimes, military bases in several Arab countries, and according to some critics, a perceived U.S. campaign against Islam and its own citizens of Arab and Islamic origin.
But in “Why Do They Hate Us and Why Do They Love Us (Chapter Fourteen), Robert J. Lieber argues that support for Israel is one of several flawed explanations for anti-Americanism since attacks against the United States too place after despite the inaccuracy or hollowness of such charges.
Moreover, an extremely important but usually neglected aspect of anti-Americanism is its political usefulness for radical movements and dictatorships seeking to seize or maintain their power, explains Barry Rubin, “The Usefulness of Anti-Americanism” (Chapter Fifteen). He suggests that anti-Americanism be examined in practical terms as an ideological instrument which is very useful as scapegoat and distraction from the domestic or foreign policy failures of others.
This book is based on the papers presented for a project of the Global Research in International Affairs (GLORIA) Center of the Interdisciplinary Center (IDC). This project was made possible by a generous grant by the Lynde and Harry Bradley Foundation for which the Center is most grateful.
We also wish to thank those staff members who ensured this project’s success, especially Cameron Brown and Joy Pincus.
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Looks like a must-read.
bttt
Bump for later. I can't help noticing that Communism, Nazism, and Islam share the same goals and have the same hatred for America.
SFL...thx
Is it antiamerican to hate the wrongs that are being lawfully done in this country everday....things that they could change if they wanted to? Is that antiamerican?
What "wrong things" are you talking about?
bump
Anti-Americanism exists because of jealousy. Every person who hates America would love to live there.
Whatever they are, I can't help but wonder how they're going to compare to the beheading of non-combatants in the land of the "religion of peace," or the homicide-bombing murders of innocent people in Israel.
um, given that America is founded on the rule of law as opposed to the rule of kings, tyrants and mobs then so long as it is lawful to do it isn't anti-american.
Since you failed to provide any specific cases where something might be lawful and anti-american, I'll go with my general answer above. Especially since right and wrong are so subjective these days.
Look at the anger directed at George Bush for accomplishing the magnificant good deed of removing a mass murdering dictator from power.
We live in an evil world. Evil hates good.
Bump
OK, troll.
Summon the Kittens.
I criticize coaches in sports, but no one would accuse me of irrational and fanatical hate or double standards.
Understand the difference?
Thanks for the link.
Ping
This rage is embedded deep within the soul of Leftists and is the byproduct of Leftism. Here's my take on it:
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-bloggers/1243882/posts
Thanks for the post.
The haters have means, but no meaning in their lives. They're the "spoiled children of wealth" -- eternally criticizing the over indulgent parent. Look for these things: a double standard on wrongs - an over emphasis on stereotyping ( "all corporations are trying to poison our children")-- a blindness to any problem that can't be blamed on America - a hatred of our military -- a hatred of our President and last but not least, a love of any thug or group who hates our country.
Is it anti-American to hate the wrongs that are being lawfully done in this country everday....things that they could change if they wanted to? Is that anti-American?
Is that OZONE I smell?
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